One of my favourite books! Many novels don't seem so good the second time you read them, but this one is worth re-reading over and over. It really brings the ancient world to life. I like the way Diamant gives Jacob a realistic lifespan; Genesis is in my opinion the best …more part of the Bible, but the characters' incredibly long lifespans do seem rather ludicrous.

In the Red Tent, Jacob only pretends to be peeved about the fact that Leah is his first bride; I can objectively see that this is a clever twist, but being a Rachel, I prefer the traditional interpretation, that Jacob was genuinely angry. (No doubt many maidens named Leah will disagree with me!) That's the one single flaw of the novel. Anyway, I'm glad the text says Jacob was fair of face. (less)